Laurel J. Steinherz, MD

About Me

I am the director of pediatric cardiology. My primary focus is on the definition of immediate or long-term effects of cancer and cancer treatment on the heart, and the appropriate management of pediatric patients with these complications. This is particularly important in pediatric cancer, since it is hoped that the children will live for decades after successful treatment. It is therefore essential that we define the cardiotoxicity of new therapies and carefully monitor the heart during and after treatment.

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I published some of the earliest research on the acute and long-term cardiac effects of cancer treatment. I have served as the Chair of the Cardiology Committee of the Children’s Cancer Group (CCG) and wrote the CCG’s Guidelines for Cardiac Monitoring of pediatric patients, during and after therapy. These guidelines are still used throughout the United States and around the world. I have designed specific cardiac monitoring incorporated in Memorial Sloan Kettering and CCG treatment protocols. I was also an early advisor and participant in the design of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. The results of this research are being used to determine appropriate cardiac monitoring and interventions in survivors of pediatric cancers and to refine the treatment of patients today.

In my research, I am evaluating the use of drugs to protect the heart in children who are receiving anthracycline chemotherapy. I have also helped define the cardiac effects of many new agents in clinical trials and studied the effects of immunotherapies and other targeted therapies on the heart. I have also investigated the cardiac effects of different regimens of cytoreduction for stem cell transplantation in young patients.

I enjoy working with children and adolescents and interacting with their families. When you make a difference in the treatment of a child, you have the potential to make a difference in a lifetime.

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Publications

Pubmed is an online index of biomedical articles maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

Clinical Trials

As home to one of the world’s top cancer research centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering is typically involved in more than 900 clinical trials at a given time. Currently, clinical trials focused on the conditions I treat are enrolling new patients. If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, click to learn about the trial’s purpose, eligibility criteria, and how to get more information.